If I want to cut up 6 strips of addressable LEDs to to drape down from a single point, is it better to wire and control them from 6 different pins or wire them up as a single string; 1 pin? I know it’d be less hassle, and wire, to do it the former, just not sure what the downsides to that setup might be.
@Christopher_Kirkman1 both options are feasible.
1)hardware configuration
If you are using ws2812/11 then long strips take more time to refresh than 6 strips in parallel output.
For instance 1500 leds on one pin will give you a refresh rate of 22fps.
On 6 pins parallel output about 130fps (250leds per pins)
So it will come to what you want to show
2) software
It will come to your skills in programming but you can use Fastled matrix library or neomatrix library to help you With that.
3) try to power each strip separately
Good luck
I’d be pushing 300 ws2812b’s. And yeah, I’ll be looking at the FastLED matrix for the first time. I just wanted to make sure that if I go the 6 pin route, I won’t be driving the Arduino too hard. I really don’t want to try running dozens of feet of wire from the bottom end of one strip to the top of the next and so on.
Initially, I figured I’d start developing with an Uno. Ultimately I’d like to use something more compact if a nano or a teensy could handle the data. My goal is to create a more advanced version of the Tree Dazzler (https://www.sweethomeplanet.com.my/image/sweethomeplanet/image/data/all_product_images/product-1047/6.jpg) for my holiday display. A ring around the top, containing all the electronic bits with LED strips flowing out the sides and down the tree, displaying way cooler lighting than some As Seen On TV junk.
That’s all the endorsement I need! Thanks!
If you want to explore other possibilities with the approach you have in mind google - xlights mega tree